your trouble, and he hath delivered you out of your distress. He hath led you through the terrors of the great deep; he there made bare his mighty arm before you; at his word the stormy wind arose, and lifted up the waves thereof; we reeled to and fro, and staggered like drunken men, and were at our wits' end, when he made the storm to cease, so that the waves thereof were still. He hath prepared a table for you in the way wherein you went; even there with corn and wine hath he sustained you. Some of you he hath raised from sickness, to some he hath forbidden sickness to approach; to all of you, who allowed spiritual blessings to be blessings, he hath afforded them. Yea, in these he hath been found of them who asked them not; he hath spoken to the hearts even of some who were unmindful of his mercies; and now, 'what reward will ye give unto the Lord for all the benefits he hath done unto you?' Love him with all your hearts, serve him with all your strength; forget the things which are behind, pleasures, riches, honours;-in a word, whatever does not lead to God.

"Behold, all things about you are become new be ye likewise new creatures. From this hour let your eye be single. Whatever ye speak, or think, or do, let God be your aim, and God alone. Let your great end be to please him, in all your business, your refreshments, your converse, as well as in religious duties. Let this be your one design.

“He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.' Have one intention, one desire, one hope, even that the God whom ye worship may be your God, and your all, in time and in eternity!"

Mr. John Wesley, after labouring with abundant zeal and devotion for a year and three quarters, embarked, Dec. 22d, 1737, on his return to his own country, previous to which he wrote to his friends in Oxford. A part of his мs. letter

* See C. Wesley's Sermons, pp. 125, 132–134. Edit. 1816.

is still preserved. It is dated Savannah, Sept. 8th, 1737.

"I had long since begun to visit my parishioners in order, from house to house; but I could not go on two days longer; the sick were increasing so fast, as to require all the time I had to spare, from one to five in the afternoon. Nor is even that enough to see them all as I would do daily. In Frederica, and all the smaller settlements, here are above five hundred sheep almost without a shepherd. He that is unjust must be unjust still. Here is none to search out and lay hold on the mollia tempora fandi, and so persuade him to save his soul alive. He that is a babe in Christ may be so still. Here is none to attend to the workings of grace upon his spirit, to feed him by degrees with food convenient for him, and gently lead him till he can follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. Does any err from the right way? here is none to recall him. He may go on to seek death in the error of his life. Is any wavering? here is none to confirm him. Is any falling? there is none to lift him up. What a single man can do, is neither seen nor felt. Where are ye who are very zealous for the Lord of hosts? Who will rise up with me against the wicked?' Who will take God's part against the evil-doers ? Whose spirit is moved within him

to

prepare himself for publishing glad tidings to those on whom the Sun of Righteousness never yet arose; by labouring first for those his countrymen, who are else without hope, as well as without God, in the world? Do you ask what you shall have? Why, all you desire: food to eat, raiment to put on, a place where to lay your head, (such as your Lord had not,) and a crown of life that fadeth not away! Do you seek means of building up yourselves in the knowledge and love of God? I know of no place

271.

See May 10th, 1736. Works, vol. xiii., p.

Psalm xciv. 16. A favourite text from which both father and son preached in behalf of the Society for the Reformation of Manners, Works, vol. vi., p. 151.

under heaven where there are more, or perhaps so many, as in this place. Does your heart burn within you to turn many others to righteousness? Behold, the whole land, thousands of thousands are before you! I will resign to any of you all or any part of my charge. Choose what seemeth good in your own eyes. Here are within these walls children of all ages and dispositions. Who will bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, till they are meet to be Preachers of righteousness? Here are adults from the furthest parts of Europe, and Asia, and the inmost kingdoms of Afric; add to these the known and unknown nations of this vast continent, and you will indeed have a great multitude which no man can number."

Above six months previous to this period, Wesley had written to a friend of his at Lincoln College, saying, "There is great need that God should put it into the hearts of some to come over to us, and labour with us in his harvest." (See Wesley's Works, third edit., vol. xii., p. 45.)

Wesley has been charged with having abandoned his Mission; but the fact is far otherwise, for he long sought to obtain a larger supply of labourers, and even provided a valuable substitute for himself in the person of Whitefield. Philip, in his "Life and Times of George Whitefield," gives his account of it in the following words: (pp. 3941) "About this time, 1738, letters were received from the Wesleys and Ingham, then in Georgia. Their descriptions of the moral condition of the British colonies in America affected his heart powerfully; the chord touched ceased not to vibrate in his inmost soul. From the moment it was struck, Oxford had no magnet, Hampshire no charms, the metropolis no fascination, for this young Evangelist. He promptly declined a profitable curacy, being intent on going abroad. He received letters," says Dr. Gillies, containing what he

* British Mag. for July, 1844, p. 16.

thought to be an invitation to go to Georgia, from Mr. John Wesley, whose brother came over about this time to procure more labourers.' The truth is, both brothers appealed to him in the form most likely to win his consent; making the call appear to be from God. 'Only Mr. Delamotte is with me,' says John, until God shall stir up the hearts of some of his servants to come over and help us. What, if thou art the man, Mr. Whitefield! Do you ask me what you shall have? Food to eat, and raiment to put on; a house to lay your head in, such as your Lord had not; and a crown of glory that fadeth not away.' This is a real invitation, and precisely in that spirit which Whitefield could not resist." (P. 41.)

The

Wesley, adverting to some unjust reflections cast on the Moravians and Methodists by Lord Lyttelton, asks, "What does his Lordship know of them, but from the caricatures drawn by Bishop Lavington or Bishop Warburton ? "+ latter, in a letter dated Sept. 13th, 1738, says, “Wesley told a friend of mine, that he had lived most deliciously last summer, in Georgia, sleeping under trees, and feeding on maize, sauced with the ashes of oak-leaves; that he will return thither, and then cast off his English dress, and wear a dried skin like the savages, the better to ingratiate himself with them. It would be well for religion if this humour would lay hold generally of our overheated bigots, and send them to cool themselves in the Indian marshes." t

The town of Salem was formed into a Church Mission in 1739. The Missionary, Mr. Brockwell, who was placed there, was under great apprehension from the exciting effects of the visits of the Methodists, who were reported to be coming; and, in a letter dated June 15th, 1741, says, "The Wesleys and Whitefield are expected here in the fall. We universally dread the + Wesley's Works, vol. iii., p. 409.

Letter to Mr. Des Maizeux, Orthodox Churchman's Magazine, vol. xi., p. 24.

usurpation is supported, and dangerous as it is especially to the civil liberties of mankind, the true venom of the system is to be found in the religious doctrines which it incorporates, and which, with whatever external form they may be connected, as constituting another" and an "anathematized Gospel," are destructive to the souls of men. Popery is Popery still, even though seeking to dupe Protestants by masquerading in a Protestant garb.

In one of the daily papers, professedly supporting the institutions of the country, there have been lately inserted several letters, complaining of some interruption in the daily services of the metropolitan cathedral. With this subject I have here nothing to do. I only mention it to introduce some extracts from one letter, bearing date, "Sept. 20th," and which appeared in the paper ("the Times") for the next day. I give you these extracts, because I think it is important that the sentiments they express should be recorded elsewhere than in a newspaper, and that, at another day, it may be known in what manner writers in a "Church" paper, and on "Church" subjects, venture to express themselves. I take for granted that the writer is, in common parlance, a Protestant,-else, what has he to do with the cathedral service of the Protestant St. Paul's? Besides, he uses the words "6 our Church," our ecclesiastical appointments," our spiritual leaders," &c. Now, then, what kind of language does this professed member of a Church whose earliest movements placed the glorious Reformation doctrine of justification by faith in the forefront of her Articles and Homilies;-a Church whose first champions of that doctrine went joyfully to the stake, rather than renounce it, and left their honoured names as an inheritance of glory to them who should live in happier days;-in what man. ner, I say, does a professed member of such a Church allow himself to write? Let his language be recorded as illustrating the principles avowed by some who call them

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selves "Churchmen," in the year one thousand eight hundred and fortyfour, three centuries from the time that the faithful testimony of Luther was shaking the Papacy to its centre. The writer says,—

more

"Allow me to offer you my best thanks for the vigorous and manly course pursued by you in the recent distressing negative proceedings at St. Paul's cathedral,-a course harmonizing with the vindication of the rights of the poor, and the fearless exposure of oppression wher ever it may exist. The endeavour to rescue our unhappy Church from her present state of imperfection and practical corruption, and to render her at once a more worthy dispenser of God's sacraments, and a consistent teacher of God's word, is indeed a mighty and glorious duty; and to me, but recently arrived from Christian and happy Belgium," (Popish Belgium, that is to say, whose Bishops, when under the rule of Protestant Holland, protested against religious toleration, as inconsistent with the teaching of their Church,) "the whole matter connected with our ecclesiastical ap pointments" (the party are evidently full of wrath that some open, violent Tractarian has not been raised to the episcopal bench) "is fraught with the most lively and intense interest. What, then, may be there seen?" (Let not only the reply, in its substance, be noted, but its particular form of expression.) "A Church poor in temporal, rich in spiritual, wealth," (meaning the Roman Church,) "developing herself in every shape and form of beauty and holiness;" (except one, that of pure, mighty, saving scriptural truth;) "cathedrals fitted up as palaces for His presence with all that can excite reverence, or arouse attention, open at five o'clock in the morning FOR THE DAILY SACRIFICE; worshippers thronging thereto and sanctifying their labours and toils by a previous surrender of heart to Him who feeds and tends them;" (yes; and doing this on the Sabbath, too; to sanctify!!! not only their unsuspended labour-for what are the commandments of God, to the

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commandments of the Church? but their Sabbath-evening crowded ball-rooms and theatres ;) at the various ALTARS humble souls poured forth in mental prayer" (not understanding the public prayer) "to their God, AS PRESENT ON HIS ALTAR," (the consecrated wafer is there, and that, thus localized and circumscribed, as on the altar, is here said to be their God,) or as represented in his saints," (not his living people, but the images and pictures of the dead,) "old and young, rich and poor, close to one another, and recognising in God's house, not the rich-carpeted pew, or the lazy cushion, wretched marks of earthly pride and human distinc. tion, but the hallowed floor, and the humble chair, symbols of Christian equality and Christian love; the melting notes of holy music and holy incense, wafting to God's throne the prayers and offerings of God's people; these noble edifices not opened (and I speak as regards our own ecclesiastical arrangements, at the best) for an hour morning and evening, but free to worshippers till mid-day, and then at three or four o'clock again unclosed, the benediction of the blessed sacrament terminating the day of public prayer, and attuning the mind to private devotion, and the offices of charity." (And, if it be the Lord's day, to the music of operas, playhouses, and dancing-rooms.) These are indeed goodly sights, but deeply humiliating when contrasted with our sinful state, and degraded position as a so-called Christian country." (The writer evidently longs for some Cardinal Pole to come over to receive the penitent acknowledgments of the guilt of schism from the assembled representatives of Church and State; and, having been assured of their willingness to surrender some culprits for due punishment, to free them from their sin, and raise them from their degradation, by a plenary Papal absolution.) "And then, again, the

SIMPLE AND HUMBLE PRIESTHOOD

in their distinguishing garb, saluted by the people with affectionate respect; children endeavouring to

catch the eye of their Pastor and friend; the aged looking with reverence to one who is to them the Minister of good and lovely things; hospitals for the sick," (we have none in Protestant England, I suppose, or none of Protestant foundation !) 'nurture and education for the young, refuge for the old, not in union workhouses, but in comfort and cheerfulness, while holy women devote their time and labour to tending, and comforting, and teaching; the noble chapel, testifying everywhere that He is ever present.' (O happy Belgium! What a pity it is that the system has not been tried in Ireland! According to this writer, no country could long be ignorant, and barbarous, and lawless, where such a system was in full operation. Perhaps already its effects may be seen in the sister island; and the traveller may know, by marking them, whether he is passing through a sinful and degraded Protestant district, or a holy and elevated Catholic one!)

I will only add the concluding sentences.

"That some mighty movement is going on here and elsewhere, it is idle to doubt. Let our spiritual leaders look to it, and let us each individually endeavour to bear our humble part therein; trusting that our unhappy individual short-comings," (of course, including in them the coming short of DIRECT, OPEN PROFESSION; to which short-coming, on account of the inconvenient results of such a profession, there is certainly a strong temptation at present,) "and miserable personal deficiencies, may not be the means of thwarting His gracious purpos-s, who has been pleased to place us here at a period so replete with coming weal or woe to our native land." The writer signs himself "A Layman."

On one point, most assuredly, I agree with the writer. It is now evident that we live in a period when a "mighty movement is going on," a period "replete with coming weal or woe to our native land." The signs of the times" are so obvious, that we can no longer mis

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